The United Nations Security Council is expected to meet this Wednesday for its first round of talks over a U.S.-led plan to extend an arms embargo on Iran, which is set to expire this October.
American diplomats have circulated a draft proposal to extend the ban on the sale, supply or transfer of weapons by Iran unless approved by the 15-member council, Reuters reported.
The draft resolution would also require countries to inspect cargo that passes through their territory, including waterways, if they believe it contains banned products.
U.S. officials have insisted that the arms embargo, which was put in place as part of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal that the Trump administration withdrew from in 2018, should remain in place, citing Iranian violations to the Obama-era treaty.
In order to pass, the resolution needs nine votes in favor and must avoid a veto by one of the five permanent members of the council, which includes China and Russia who have both opposed the extension.
If the embargo is not extended, the Trump administration has threatened to launch a resurgence of all U.N. sanctions in a move to gain backing from the security council to renew the arms embargo.
• Lauren Toms can be reached at lmeier@washingtontimes.com.
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